Cotton, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Sanction Palestinian Leadership and Institutions That Reward Terrorism

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
January 23, 2025

Cotton, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Sanction Palestinian Leadership and Institutions That Reward Terrorism

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today reintroduced the PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act, legislation that would impose sanctions on foreign persons and entities that provide payments to Palestinian terrorists and the families of terrorists as part of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority's (PA) system of terror compensation.

Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R- South Carolina), and Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) are cosponsoring the legislation. Congressman Mike Lawler (New York-17) will be introducing companion legislation in the House.

"The Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization continue to support terrorism against Israel by providing hundreds of millions of dollars per year in their reprehensible 'pay-for-slay' program. Anti-Semitic Palestinian terrorists know they can expect payment as a reward for killing Israelis and Americans-with thousands of Palestinian terrorists tied to October 7 eligible for these terror payments. Our bill will ensure that the PA, PLO and their institutions that reward acts of terrorism are punished," said Senator Cotton.

Text of the bill may be found here.

The PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act would impose sanctions on:

• Foreign persons who serve as an employee of the PLO and PA that has facilitated the payments, provided payments themselves, or knowingly provided significant financial, technological, or material support and resources as part of the PLO and PA's system of compensation supporting acts of terrorism.
• Entities that facilitate the PLO and PA system of compensation supporting acts of terrorism including the Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners, the Institute for the Care of the Families of the Martyrs and the Wounded, the Palestine National Fund, and National Association of the Families of the Martyrs of Palestine.
• Foreign financial institutions that participate in a financial transaction that is part of the PLO and PA's system of compensation supporting acts of terrorism.

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